


Out of Character

by bluehappyking



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Agents of SHIELD, Brainwashing, F/M, FitzSimmons - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-16
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-18 03:58:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3555221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluehappyking/pseuds/bluehappyking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post 2x03 AU. Fitz knows Coulson is keeping something from him, so he goes to investigate finding out that Coulson has been meeting Jemma Simmons. Fitz goes to see her and the two chat about what happened and how they feel. They arrange to keep meeting up, but with HYDRA untrusting of Simmons, are they both in danger?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“And, um, did she want to go on the assignment? Did she want to leave?” Fitz asked Coulson. The older man looked at him, clearly knowing the answer but ignoring the question on purpose and then replied.

“What she’s doing is very important,” he said and Fitz looked down. His unspoken words were more than enough to gather what her intentions had been. Coulson sighed and then changed the subject. “I’m going to find May and Skye, get the updates. Are you going to be okay?”

“I thought you saw them after the mission?” Fitz asked. Coulson then nodded.

“Yeah, but we didn’t really have a chance to discuss it,” he said. Fitz nodded in reply and Coulson patted him on the shoulder slightly before turning and leaving him alone in the lab in the darkness.

“There’s something he’s not telling me,” Fitz spoke.

“Well, like he said, he’s the director,” came Simmons’ voice and Fitz saw her stood next to him. Even though he knew she wasn’t real, he still liked having her there. He felt so useless without her there to guide him. “He’s got to keep things from everyone.” 

“But I’m...worried about you. Her, about her,” Fitz sighed and as he thought of the real Simmons, this one faded for a while. 

An assignment? What kind of assignment was so important that it meant she left her team, her home? Or if she asked to leave, where on earth had Coulson placed her? Was she even safe? Was he so broken that she couldn’t bear to be around him that she was just desperate to leave and go anywhere else in the world? Where was she?

Thoughts buzzed in Fitz’s head unconnected and only in segments. He shook his head, placing his hands over his hair and breathed out. There was so much being kept from him. Ward, Simmons, Donnie Gill. The team didn’t value him and he was just being kept there for the sake of it. Out of pity.

“Pity...bloody pity,” Fitz got up and leant on the side of the bench when the door opened and Mack stood there behind him, casting a shadow.

“What’s up Turbo?” the man asked and Fitz turned around and sighed. 

“Why are there so many...so...unknown...secrets,” Fitz tried to form a sentence and then sighed. “In SHIELD?”

“Secrets? Like Ward? Yeah, I don’t like them either.”   
“I want to...I’m not va...valued. I’m not good at the things I used to do,” Fitz started to walk around the lab. “Maybe I should ask to go on an a...assignment too. Like Je...Simmons.”

“And leave the team? You’re not a quitter, even from these few weeks I’ve known you I know you’re not. You just need to find a niche, a purpose again.” Mack smiled and walked over towards the supplies cupboard. Fitz nodded in reply.

“What are you looking for?” 

“Batteries. I just finished looking over a car for Coulson. He’s took it out for a drive but it’s fixed now.” Mack rummaged in the cupboard. “There was someone he had to see.” 

“That doesn’t...no sense. He went just now? With May and Skye?”

“No, just him. They’ve been back ages. I guess he went on his own.”

“But where? The story doesn’t add...up...”

“Beats me. Like you said, SHIELD is full of secrets,” Mack found what he was looking for. The stories didn’t add up - even Fitz with a damaged brain knew that something was going on. Something didn’t seem right.

“Which...er...car was...is it?”

“The black SUV,” Mack replied and Fitz nodded. “You coming? I’m going to get some food.”

“Erm...I have something I have to do first. I’ll see you later,” Fitz replied and Mack smiled, walking through the base towards the kitchens. Fitz picked up his tablet - he’d had enough of the team’s secrets protecting him. He couldn’t find out again as a shock like he did with Ward - vulnerable and in tears. He was an engineer and still had the technology to help him, even if his own brain and body were failing him. 

Fitz left the lab and walked along to his room.

“What are you doing?” fake Simmons asked him.

“Solving a my...mystery.”  
 Fitz took off his lanyard, leaving it in there and picked up an ICER and another small device. He wasn’t intending to use the ICER of course, but if someone saw what he was doing, he might be forced to protect himself. He didn’t know just how big of a secret Coulson was hiding. Finally, he put on a hooded black top and closed the door behind him.

“You look like you’re in a spy movie,” fake Simmons commented and Fitz didn’t reply as he tried to get his brain to focus on what he was going to do now.

He walked towards the hangar where the bus and the cars were parked. He didn’t have the keys (Coulson kept them in his office) but his device unlocked the car without even needing them. At least he could use his past designs to aid his future.

“There must be some trace of where he’s been,” fake Simmons climbed into the passenger side and looked around with her large, brown eyes. “Check the history of journeys.”

“I was just about to,” Fitz replied and fake Simmons smiled slightly. “Right...let’s find out what you’ve been doing,” he said to himself and pressed the screen. The last two journeys which had both been within the last week were to the same address. Around 2 and a half hours away from where the base was. “For a director, he’s not very con...er...consp...erm...

“Conspicuous?”

“Yes, that’s it.” 

Fitz leant back in the seat of the car and turned on the tablet, searching for the address using SHIELD’s technology - his brain more active than it had been in weeks. It came up with a list of fast food orders to the address and the fake Simmons looked around the car, Fitz having to remind her not to touch or fiddle with things.

“Fast...food? What...” Fitz began but then he read the order list which made his heart warm. He recognised each order, especially because he knew exactly what she ordered from memory and experience over the last ten years. “Simmons.” 

“Yes?”   
“Not you, her. These are her fast food orders.”

“And you know that for sure?” she asked and Fitz nodded.

“Of course I do,” he replied and without even considering twice, Fitz keyed in the code to open the doors of the hangar and started to drive, but his left hand and brain wouldn’t connect and the skill was lost to him. 

“DAMMIT!” Fitz hit the wheel. Simmons put a hand on his shoulder as he leant on it in frustration.

“Driving? Really? Fitz, you’re getting better but you can’t run before you can walk. Or drive before you can walk.”

“I can’t...I can’t let her get...”

“What about the auto-drive function? Then you wouldn’t have to drive at all!” she chirped up and Fitz clicked his fingers in response and pressed the screen on the car, scrolling to the auto-drive option, turning it on. It worked on the same technology as auto-pilot but for a car. 

“Brilliant!” Fitz smiled and Simmons smiled back at him. The car then moved without him doing anything. Fitz looked around as he was driven out of the base.

“I’ll get there soon, Jemma.”

The drive through the evening was faster than Fitz imagined in a car driving on its own. It panicked him a little, being so out of control in a machine that could easily kill him if it didn’t work. 

“Have you thought about what you’re going to say to her?” fake Simmons asked him. 

“There’s no point in rem...reciting a speech. I’ll only forget,” Fitz replied.

“You can practice on me?” she smiled at him. Fitz looked at her and considered the idea, trying to put words into sentences. 

“I...erm...I wanted to see if...it’s no use. As soon as I see her little face I’m going to...fo...forget it all.” It was just the effect she had on him. 

The tablet beeped and Fitz saw that Simmons had ordered a new fast food order - he wondered what on earth the deal was with that. Some sort of dead drop? Or was she just hungry. It was a pizza order. 

“I haven’t eaten since lunch, can I order myself food on her order?” he thought to himself.

“Fitz, that’s very creepy and weird,” Simmons replied - oh yeah, he forgot that she could hear his thoughts. “You don’t even know if it’s her or if she will want to see you or let you in even.” 

“She has to,” Fitz sighed. “I can’t wait any longer.”

The car stopped itself and the voice command spoke aloud, asking if they had reached the correct destination. Fitz checked the address - he certainly hoped it was correct. He opened the door and was met with twilight sky - it was leaning into early evening and looked up at a large block of flats. 

“How will you know which one it is?” fake Simmons pointed out and Fitz looked up, open mouthed. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. He slowly walked towards the building. “You need a key card to get in.”

“Yes, I know that,” Fitz sighed. It was then he heard a whistling and a car door shut - it was a pizza van. “Bingo...”

“Fitz, you’re not...” fake Simmons began but he cut out out of his mind and walked up to the pizza delivery man who was a late teen.

“Hi...erm...are you for...Jemma Simmons?” he asked the young man. “The order.”

“Who wants to know?” the kid asked and Fitz replied.

“Her...roommate,” he lied and heard in his head fake Simmons sighing in exasperation. “I’ll come up with you.”

The younger man walked in front and Fitz felt his stomach rumble at the smell of pizza. The man stopped at the door and looked round. 

“Aren’t you going to let me in?” 

“Oh...erm...keys, I forgot them...” Fitz responded and he felt his left hand shake. “Why don’t you buzz up?”

“Surely it would make more sense for you to do it?” the kid asked and Fitz mouthed wordlessly. 

“You’re...closer to it?” he provided and the young man moved away. “Come on, now you’re just being stupid.”

“Stupid? I don’t think you really live here.”

“Look, have you never liked a girl? I just want to know what apartment she’s in and get into the building. It sounds creepy but I’ve known her for years, we’re friends, or at least we were but then I...”

“Sounds a lot like you’re a stalker. I think I should call the...”

Fitz shot the ICER at the man who fell back. 

“Fitz!” fake Simmons looked at him and walked over to the man. 

“He was going to call the police! What did you expect me to do?”

“I don’t know, ask him where she lives like a normal person?”

“Well, I’m not normal anymore,” Fitz said and dragged the man back to his van, placing him in the front seat and picked up the pizza boxes. “At least none of this dropped.” 

“Next thing you know, you’ll be eating it yourself,” fake Simmons huffed and Fitz looked at the invoice.

“2C. All I needed to know,” he replied and walked up to the buzzer and with slight hesitation and a deep breath before, he pressed it and put on an accent. “PIZZA?”

“Come on up!” came her voice and he almost jumped for joy, tingling all over. He pushed the door open and walked through the white and cream lobby towards the lift. 

“How do you feel?” fake Simmons asked him as the doors closed behind them. Fitz sighed and looked at his feet.

“Scared. Exc...excited? I haven’t seen her in...since...you know.”

“It’s been months,” she replied to him. “It’ll be hard.”

“I know, but...” the lift doors open and Fitz froze for a moment. Fake Simmons looked at him.

“Well go on then! You’ve got her pizza and you iced that poor man, not to mention stealing a car from the base,” she said and then spoke softly. “You can’t turn back now...”

Fitz nodded and walked out of the lift into a cream corridor and saw 2A, 2B and then his eyes fell on the white door of 2C. He slowly stepped closer to it and looked to his left about to speak but fake Simmons wasn’t there. It was just him and her now. His hand shook as he slowly reached up to knock on the door.

“Do it,” he heard the voice in his brain tell him and he shut his eyes and knocked. His heart was racing, thudding from inside him and the door opened...  
“Thank you, do you have some chang...change...” Simmons looked up and Fitz looked back. He almost didn’t recognise her with a new shorter haircut, but it was her. He couldn’t mistake her face and eyes - the girl he’d known all these years. “Fitz...” she spoke softly and he opened his mouth to reply but before he knew what she was doing, she placed the boxes on the floor and started to hug him. She felt so warm and familiar - like she’d never been away. He wrapped his arms around her and held his best friend whom he’d missed so much.

Whilst this was the last scenario he’d imagined to have happened, it was the best one, and at least whilst they were hugging each other, they didn’t have to think about what they would have to say to each other next. Right now, it was just enough to see one another again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fitzsimmons haven't seen each other in months, but has anything changed? Of course it has :D

Simmons wanted to shut her eyes and forget everything that had happened earlier today - she felt safe back in Fitz’s arms, but she had too many questions and so she let go.

“Erm...sorry...I...shouldn’t have,” she began but looked at him. “Fitz, what are you doing here?”

“I could ask...erm...the same thing,” he replied shakily. It pained her every moment that she heard him unable to join his words up. “Can...I come in?”

“Yeah...oh, sorry, yeah,” Simmons held the door open and Fitz picked up the pizzas and walked into the apartment looking around. Yellowish coloured and with plenty of furnishings. It was all one long room after the small hallway with the kitchen on the right and a small bathroom. “You can put...why do you have...erm...doesn’t matter.” She said awkwardly and offered Fitz a seat at the dining table. 

“So, this is...your new home?” Fitz asked her and Simmons didn’t know how to reply. “HYDRA? You’re at HYDRA?”

“Yes, but I’m not HYDRA. I’m undercover,” she told him and sat down to face him. “I’m just on a mission, in the science department.”

“And taking down Donnie?” he cut in and she stopped. “I know. You were there. Coulson saw...er...he...no...” Fitz struggled with his words and looked towards her kitchen. “He had clues on the...journeys! He left his p...past journeys in the car. I...I found them and came here.”

“You drove here? From the base?”

“No...not by...er...” Fitz tried to think, his hand shaking as he tried to speak. “It didn’t...it drove...no driver...”

Simmons felt tears in her eyes just looking at him. 

“You shouldn’t be here. You should go,” she sniffed. He looked back at her. 

“You...you’re going to...make me leave? After not...seeing you for months?” he asked and she nodded.  
“It’s not helping you, being here, it’s making you worse. I want...I want you to get better and I can see I’m making you worse! I always made you worse,” she told him and he shook his head. “I do! You can’t even look at me when you’re talking.”

“Because I...” Fitz tried to make an excuse but it was true. He couldn’t look at her without stumbling, but it wasn’t because of the condition. It was because she was so beautiful to him. “You need to come...come home to us. It’s not safe at H...Hydra.”

“I’m okay...”

“No, I know what ha...happened with Donnie. He was a...dangerous now. You could’ve been killed! And...that’s my...my fault because you left because of...of me.”

“No, no Fitz, I didn’t,” tears streamed down Simmons’ cheeks. “I left because of me. Because I couldn’t bear to see what I was doing to you. I’m the problem.”

“You’ve never...been a problem,” he told her and looked at her as he spoke - trying to convince himself he could talk and see her at the same time. “Is...I thought...it was because of what I...my feelings.”

“No, no it wasn’t,” she told him. “That would never have influenced my choice.”

“Are you sure? Because you...you never...said how you...felt...”

“Well neither did you! You just told me when we were at the bottom of the ocean that I was more than a friend and that you were willing to die for me! How was I meant to respond? I tried to convince you that you shouldn’t do that but you wouldn’t listen! And then when you were ill, I couldn’t bring it up and confuse your mind anymore! You didn’t even want to talk to me at times!”

“Are you saying I pl...planned this damage?”

“No, I’m not! But...you...you should’ve told me earlier. You...I know you couldn’t have but why did you put all this pressure on me right at the end? What could I have done? I thought you...you were going to die!” she got up and started pacing around her living room and Fitz could only just look at her. “I’m not blaming you, but I can’t be...I’ve been going over that moment every day I’ve been here and every night. I’m tired of feeling guilty for something I had no choice in.”

“You had a choice! You could’ve stayed! I’m...I’m no better with you...gone or...”

“But you drove a car here! You snuck out without anyone realising! That’s much better than you could’ve been!” 

“I did that for you! I had a p...” Fitz stopped himself and got up from the chair and walked over to her. “I had...a purpose. That’s all I n...need. You’re my pur...pose. My reason and every day I w...worried about you. Where were you or...or if...how I may n...never see you aga...again.” His words broke. “I...can’t...lose my best fr...friend again. These m...months have been he...hell wi...without you.”

Simmons struggled out a sob and put a hand to her mouth. 

“They’ve been hell for me too,” she said and nodded, tears spilling from her eyes. “But I...I want you to get better, Fitz. Without me.” 

“I’m...I want to...try...but, I don’t...want it to be a de...decision between me getting b...better and see...seeing you,” Fitz came out with the words. Simmons looked up at him through her blurred from tears eyes. “Don’t m...make me make that ch...choice because if I d...don’t have you in my li...life, I can’t have...either.” 

Simmons started to cry and walked over to her living room and Fitz stayed back, unsure of what he could do. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry I left,” she told him. “I...I didn’t...I thought it was for the best.”

“No...I...I understand,” Fitz replied and knew that he did. He got it. It was because she wanted what was best for him, but she didn’t realise that what was best for him was her. It always had been. He slowly walked over to her and put a tentative hand on her shoulder. She turned around and looked at him and succumbed to sobbing into him and he held her tight.

The two sat down on the couch and started to explain what had been happening for the last few months and they made an agreement then and there that they would try to talk about things to one another, if they could. Miscommunication wasn’t worth losing a friendship over. Fitz, who was now incredibly hungry asked if he could have some of Simmons’ pizza which she happily shared with him - having ordered extra food so she wouldn’t have to make dinner again the next day. It wasn’t the best diet (which Fitz commented on) but she hadn’t really been focusing on herself lately. 

Seeing Fitz again was stirring up old and new feelings for her. Having a hug with him when he first arrived was just the comfort that she needed after today. It was almost instinct - the two had spent so much time together for all those years, it was natural that they were getting back into being friends again. But was it just friends? 

He was the person she’d missed most of all whilst she’d been at HYDRA and that missing was developing into something else. She needed him in her life and she hadn’t realised that properly until now. She cared so much for Fitz as her best friend, but could she imagine them as more than that? After all this trauma, was there something new on the horizon for them?

“Do you want another beer?” Simmons asked and Fitz shook his head. 

“I’m dri...well, I’m not driving but...erm...not for me,” he said and looked at the clock - the hours had passed so quickly and he looked at his phone. No one had even noticed he’d gone which was a good thing, but also a little disappointing. Simmons looked at him and put a hand on his arm. 

“They’ll have other things to deal with. Especially Coulson,” she said and Fitz nodded, looking up at her.

“Your hair...it’s...nice like th...this,” he said and she smiled, looking away slightly. “I sh...should proba...go.”

Simmons felt the words pull at her heart - she didn’t want him to go. Not after they still had so much to say. She could see on his face that he didn’t want to either. But she couldn’t ask him to stay, could she?

“You...it’s going to be dark outside. Is it safe?” she asked him and he looked out.

“I suppose,” he said and didn’t move off the couch. “I...I want to see you...if you can’t come...back I...what if I came...here?” he looked at her and she tilted her head to the side, unsure of what he meant. “I could...we...we could set a date...not a date erm...one or two days in the we...week where we...meet up and just...hang out...in secret?”

The idea sounded so appealing and naughty to her that she couldn’t help but smile - but was it a good idea? Was she being selfish by letting him see her more?

“I don’t know...I don’t want you to get in trouble or be unsafe. If someone finds out where you’re going...”

“I’ll be...c...careful,” Fitz assured her. “HYDRA won’t f...find out. We’re sm...smarter than them and I can cr...create a device that won’t le...let them see me,” Fitz told her. “This way I c...can spend time at the base and do normal things there and you can be at...at HYDRA and we can have it half way. If you’re...still worried about making me worse. We won’t have to wo...worry.”

She looked at him and considered it. I suppose one time couldn’t hurt? Just to see how it went?

“We can trial it,” she replied and Fitz nodded, a smile on his face. 

“Yeah, we can. Maybe W...we...weekends?” he asked and she agreed, a smile on her face too. “I’ll...erm...I’ll go now then be...before they realise I’m g...gone.”

Fitz got up and walked towards her door, Simmons following him awkwardly, playing with her fingers. He turned and looked at her and she smiled warmly. 

“We should find a way to contact each other. An encrypted line. Although, the last one didn’t work so well,” she said.

“I’ll m...make one,” he said. “F...for next time.” 

“Yeah.”

A silence fell in the room with the two not able to say goodbye nor wanting to. It would only be for a few days, but it was hard to do it all again. How would she do it? A hug? A few words?

“Erm...well...” Fitz pointed at the door, looking into her eyes and Simmons nodded, opening the door for him. “See you.” He said and reached forward to hug her and she hugged him back awkwardly - scared that if he held on for too long that she wouldn’t want to let him go.

“See you, and be safe,” she told him and Fitz nodded and smiled as he forced himself to take a step away from the door and walk back to the car.  
Jemma watched him go and shut the door behind her, her heart flying with new emotions. She didn’t really want him to leave - she was in pain not being able to look into his eyes anymore. He was the constant thing that held her life together all this time and she hadn’t even told him that. She didn’t know what this was that she was feeling, but it certainly was more than what she was feeling before.

She couldn’t bear it and flung the door open and ran down the corridor. The lift arrived and the doors opened but Fitz turned around, seeing her face reflected in the mirror inside, running towards him. He turned around and she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. Fitz - as if it was all coming naturally, put his arms around her waist.

“What’s that?” he asked and she broke into a smile and small, breathless laughter. 

“You’re more than that too,” she simply told him and he broke out into a smile and she nodded as he held her closer to him, wrapping her in a hug once again. 

“You mean it?” he asked and she nodded. “Well, maybe we could...erm...dis...cuss it when I see you...n...next?” 

“Oh, yeah, you were going weren’t you...erm...” Simmons desperately wanted to spend more time with him, but she knew, for his and her sakes that they couldn’t rush this. One thing at a time. He let go of her and she smiled, walking towards the lift. 

“I’ll s...see you soon,” he said and she nodded as the doors started to close. She blew him a small kiss and through the gap she saw him catch it in his hand - her heart dancing as she walked back towards her room. This had been right for them all along and she felt better than she had done in months. Small steps, and they still had so much to talk about and discuss. But for now, she’d wait until the weekend when she could see him again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fitzsimmons learn they're not really the dating type. Sometimes, things have to be more natural.

Fitz had set up the encrypted line and he and Simmons had spoken every night since they had re-met on it in secret. He’d missed being able to hear her voice properly and not just from inside his head and to hear her say things back in the same way as he did. They’d agreed that this weekend, they’d go out together somewhere. If they were going to do this, they’d be doing it properly and not rushing. After all, being friends for so long meant that whilst they were very invested already in this new relationship, things could become very tense very quickly if it wasn’t working out. So not to put pressure on one another, they would treat it as a whole new entity and go on dates, talk about neutral topics and just get to know one another again. The whole experience had changed them both, so maybe starting at a different platform would be a better option than trying to go from where they were.

He’d told Coulson and the team that he was going away for the weekend to see a random family member who lived in the USA and that Mack had helped him work out how to use the auto-drive function on the car. With an overnight bag packed and a plan in his mind of how he was going to woo Simmons properly - Fitz left in the early hours of Saturday and drove towards her apartment.

Simmons, on the other hand, wasn’t so calm. Things were different for her and things were new. She cared for Fitz and every time she thought of him arriving she was presented with a mixture of emotions - both elation and nervousness, but also guilt. She tried to think of things as if they were brand new, but she couldn’t help but think back to the past. This was Fitz. Leo Fitz, her best friend of years - the man who had saved her from certain death at the bottom of the ocean. The man who now could barely make it through his sentences. She couldn’t just forget how they’d been those few months he’d been recovering. The frustration, the anger, the times he’d pushed her away but then begged her to forgive him for not being good enough. Truth is, she wasn’t good enough for him. She’d left him and he’d somehow forgiven her. She didn’t truly forgive herself. 

And yet, here they were today going on an actual date. Like none of that had happened. It felt weird and awkward and she wasn’t even sure what to wear. Fitz had seen her in a variety of clothes over the years. Some formal wear back at the academy, casual clothes when they hung out together, smart clothes when they were working, even pyjamas. She felt as though today she should make an effort but would Fitz really care?

It was an odd transition - friends to dating and Simmons wasn’t totally sure she was ready for it. However, she was willing to give it a go. It was Fitz and despite all her other emotions, she was extremely excited to see him and tell him how she was feeling. The idea of taking it slow appealed to her and she was certain they could at least have a nice day together - she’d been so lonely here on her own and couldn’t remember the last time they’d had fun.

She decided on a flowery dress and flat shoes with a blue cardigan and brushed through her hair when there was a buzz from downstairs. She lifted up the phone.

“Electro-magnetism,” came Fitz’s voice and Simmons smiled - that was their code word. 

“Come on up,” she said and buzzed him into the building, feeling butterflies in her stomach which could only be a good thing. She paced nervously and put a little lip-gloss on before there was a knock at the door. She breathed out through a smile on her face and opened the door. 

Fitz grinned the biggest grin and looked her up and down - he was in a checked shirt and smarter jeans carrying several shopping bags. 

“I thought...we could...erm...go for a...p...picnic?” he said and she laughed and nodded.

“That sounds lovely! Thank you!” she replied and took the bags from him and he shut the door.

“You look...pr...pretty good,” he said to her and sat down at the table.

“Thank you, how was the drive?” she asked.

“Shorter than I remember. Roads are...cl...clearer at this time of...day,” he provided and she smiled, nodding. 

Whilst their interactions were a little bit awkward to begin with as Simmons realised how few shared topics they could talk about if they were indeed starting again, but once they started making their picnic, they ensued with their usual bickering and messing around and things seemed almost back to normal again. 

The two got into the car and Simmons looked around in awe as it started to drive itself. She squeaked slightly in shock as it did so and held Fitz’s hand tightly as he smiled at her. 

“Where are we going?” she asked him.

“There was...erm...a...p...park I saw on th...way,” he explained and she nodded. “Hope you’re h...hungry.”

She was a little but there were nerves in the pit of her stomach instead because whilst she felt very comfortable being with Fitz, a date just didn’t seem quite right for them. Fitz too noticed a little awkward silence in the car but it was hard enough for him as it was to make conversation when his words wouldn’t connect to his brain.

Simmons instead started talking a bit about the weather and how much food they’d packed - to which Fitz commented on how he’d saved himself for this rather than having a big breakfast. 

The park itself wasn’t far away and the pair took their picnic with them and sat down under a tree starting to eat and spoke indadvertedly about their times at the academy and the secret snacks they’d shared. 

When Simmons realised this, she stopped talking - boy, this was going to be harder than she thought and instead took another bite of a sandwich leaving them in an awkward silence again. What do you say to a stranger on a first date, especially if that stranger is your best friend of ten years? 

“Oh, the...sun’s gone away,” Fitz looked up, trying to make small talk and Simmons looked up too. 

“It’s colder now,” she said and shrugged her cardigan closer to her, trying to pull her dress over her legs a bit more.

“It’s...s...summer, you’d thi...” but Fitz didn’t finish his reply as a drop of water fell from the sky. “Oh no...”

Simmons looked up too as the clouds turned greyer and they were met with a freak rain-storm.

“Oh not rain!” she commented and the downpour got heavier. 

“Let’s go to the car,” Fitz said in one sentence and grabbed their bags and food before it could get any wetter and they two ran towards where the car was. Jemma struggled a little in her flat shoes but luckily the car wasn’t too far away.

She opened the door and climbed in and Fitz got into the other side - both soaked through and dripping wet.

“Oh...Co...Coulson won’t be ha...happy if this is w...wet,” Fitz commented and looked at a shivering Simmons. 

“So...cold...” she said. “I shouldn’t have worn a dress. I knew it was a b...bad idea.”

“Still lo...looks good,” he smiled and turned up the heating in the car. “Let’s go home.” She nodded and agreed to that point as they set the car’s course back to her apartment. 

The two took their soggy selves and food back up the stairs and Simmons plopped her bags onto the table.

“I sh...should have ch...checked the w...weather,” Fitz said and Simmons smiled.

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault. It looked like a nice day before,” she replied. “Do you want to change?”

“Yeah I think...so,” Fitz said and pointed towards her bathroom and Simmons nodded. He took his overnight bag with him. “Simmons!”

“Yes?”

“I haven’t got sp...spare er...trousers. Can I w...wear pyjamas?” he asked and Simmons laughed slightly.

“Of course!” she called back and decided she’d do the same. At least she could be more comfortable now. She went into her bedroom - aware that there was no door between it and her living room so quickly threw on a warm top and her bottoms before walking back to her kitchen and turning on the kettle. 

Fitz came out and Simmons heart did leap a little - he may have looked smart earlier but just seeing him naturally in his comfy wear made things seem much more at ease. He smiled at her and threw her a towel.

“For your...h...hair,” he said and she smiled warmly at him.

“Thank you,” she said. “Tea?”

“Of course,” he replied and she nodded as he sat down on her and leant back. “I’m going to...er...eat some more food. Make it an in...door p...picnic.” 

“Don’t eat it all, I want some too,” she said and he nodded with a smile as the kettle boiled and she made their tea - hoping he still had it the way he did before and walked over with their two mugs and sat next to him. “Fitz?”

“Yeah?” he asked with a mouthful of sandwich which made her smile - it was like the old him was back.

“This didn’t work out. Not us, we’re fine it’s just...a date felt so unnatural. Didn’t it?” she said and he sighed and eventually nodded.

“I didn’t really...know...erm...what you were expec...ting. I thought that we c...could do what...erm...normal couples do,” he replied. 

“We’re far from normal. We’ve been friends for years, and I don’t think we can just forget all of that. That’s what makes it better, us being normal around each other. Not...putting on a farce,” she explained. “I just feel like...maybe it wasn’t the best way to go, and that’s not your fault. I just don’t think I can forget about everything that happened before with us.”

“But if we ke...keep dwelling we won’t be able to move...forward,” Fitz looked at her. “Hitting against a...erm...a...”

“Brick wall?” she offered and he nodded.

“Exactly. So...what do we do?” he asked. “Do you w...want to just be fr...friends?”

“No, no I...I think it’s too late to just be friends. I...” Simmons sighed and started to explain. “I’ve missed being with you so much and when you turned up at the door, I realised why I was missing you like that. I...don’t want to live my life without you. You mean more to me than anyone else in the world. I just don’t want to ruin this, but I don’t know how to...where to go from here.”

Fitz nodded.

“Are you sure you want...this? A relations...ship?” 

Simmons’ heart answered for her with a nod.

“I do, I really do, but I think we need to be real. We should be us. We can’t hide from what happened. Only learn from it,” she said. “Maybe we need to take things slowly.”

“Okay,” Fitz nodded in reply and had some more food, Simmons took a sip of her tea. “But I’m w...worried that if...if it goes too slowly and we’re too much like we u...used to be, we’ll n...never be anything more. We won’t know how to be anything...more.” 

Fitz had voiced the same concern Simmons had - she wanted this, she really did, and if it was anyone else, she’d know what to do, but with Fitz, there were so many things that could go wrong or take them back to where they were. She couldn’t just be friends with him anymore, but she didn’t know how to be more than that with him either. 

Unless...

“Maybe we could try something. If I can make a suggestion,” she put her tea down and Fitz nodded, looking at her. “Remember the shoop shoop song?” 

“Cher?” Fitz asked and remembered it clearly. “If you wanna...er...I can’t...remember the lyrics.”

“That doesn’t matter, but if...” Simmons chose her words. “If you want to know if it’s right then...a kiss is what will prove it?” Fitz swallowed his last bit of food.

“You want to...kiss?”

“Yeah, I think, we could work out from there whether this...feels right?” Simmons suggested and Fitz nodded and drank some of his tea to clear his mouth from crumbs.

“Okay,” he replied. “How...er...”

Simmons then realised that this could potentially be a lot more awkward. Planning a kiss? Was that really the basis to tell whether or not this could work?  
“Erm...I could er...” she moved closer to him and he shuffled slowly closer to her, the two awkwardly moving together. She leant in closer towards Fitz and hovered little before him and they looked into one another’s eyes. He moved a little closer to her too, his lips a little bit apart from hers and their noses touching. 

“Are you sure you wa...want...?” he asked in a whisper and Simmons who knew she couldn’t turn back now nodded slightly before moving in and kissing Fitz on the lips and broke off very quickly. “Is that it?”

“Sorry?”

“That’s what you...meant?” he asked and she shrugged.

“I don’t know, I was nervous.”

“If you’re nerv...nervous of c...course it’ll f...feel awkward. Especially if you kiss like that.”

“Kiss like what?” she raised her eyebrows and he smiled.

“With your eyes open and like I’m...a t...teenager,” he said and she laughed slightly. “That’s n...not the kind of kiss you can...t...tell from.”

“Well, if you think you can do better?” she smiled at him and Fitz leant his head to one side.

“Ch...challenge accepted Simmons. That w...wasn’t a kiss. This is a kiss,” he said and leant forward, brushing his nose against hers for just a second before gently pressing his lips against hers and shutting his eyes. Simmons shut her eyes too as Fitz gently moved a hand towards her hair - shivers running through her as his fingers brushed against her neck and she put a hand on his chest. Fitz made sure that this kiss had substance and lasted much longer than hers and Simmons smiled whilst they were kissing - this was exactly she wanted.

Fitz broke off and Simmons breathed out, leaning closer to him, wanting more and Fitz wiped his lips.

“Re...result?”

“Erm...yeah...er...I think that...proves that we are more than friends,” she swallowed back, slightly flustered and Fitz smiled. “But I think we should, probably just to check that wasn’t an anomaly, try again?” 

“That’s m...more than fine with me,” Fitz said and Simmons leant forward and kissed him back with the same level of passion that he’d kissed her. “You’re learning...” he said between kissing and she nudged him as he leant back slightly on the and she found herself lying above him. Whilst she was still nervous about letting things change between them, this was the best change possible and she really liked being in Fitz’s arms. 

Most of the rest of the afternoon was spent eating food, drinking tea and making out with one another and they started to talk again like before. Things seemed almost back to normal and Fitz, who was a gentleman, slept on her couch. They spent the second day of the weekend at a science fayre which was a much more fitting outing for the two of them. Things were becoming far more natural and Simmons wondered why she’d never noticed these feelings before. Once you start looking at someone in a different light, it’s hard to go back to how things were before. 

It soon, however, came to the time when Fitz had to leave.

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Simmons said and hugged him tightly.

“I know,” he replied and the two kissed. “I’ll be b...back soon.” Simmons nodded as Fitz walked to the door, still holding one of her hands. “Please be safe.” He asked her and she smiled.

“Of course, and you too,” she replied and kissed him once again. “That feels better every time we do it.”

“It feel right,” Fitz replied and she smiled in reply. Fitz reluctantly opened the door - back to their realities. “Bye...I...er...I’ll miss you.” 

“I’ll miss you too,” Simmons said in almost a whisper as she hugged him once more before leaving and gave him one last longing kiss before they parted. Fitz waved to her down the corridor and then reached the lift, pressing the button. It was the happiest he’d felt in ages, and his mind seemed so much clearer to him. Completely refreshed for the week again. 

He turned around and saw Simmons giving him one more final wave before he walked into the lift and watched as the doors shut before him and she was gone again.

Simmons slept well that night - comforted by her new emotions and thoughts of this new exciting change in her mind. She woke up the next morning singing along to her radio, dancing around her apartment happily and fresh for a morning of work at HYDRA. 

“Morning!” she said as she got her bag checked.

“Someone is bright today,” Theo replied at her. “Good weekend?”

“Perfect,” Simmons smiled.

“Well, keep that smile up!” he said and she nodded, a skip in her step almost as she keyed herself in and got into the lift. It went up one floor but then the doors opened and two HYDRA agents entered - quite large and burly. She swallowed back as they pressed the lift to a different floor to the one Simmons was usually on and the doors shut behind them.

Before she could do anything, the men had turned and shot her with a tranquiliser gun. Simmons fell back and lay slumped against the floor - unconscious. 

The doors opened and Bakshi entered with a smile. 

“Top floor,” he said. “It’s about time we made her comply...”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whitehall takes Simmons in and tells her that she needs to get information from Fitz about the alien writing. He makes sure that she's happy to comply.

Simmons awoke, strapped into a chair and images running before her. She couldn’t move her head except look ahead at the screen and tried to get out, starting to panic.

“Shh...Miss Simmons,” came a voice and Simmons saw an older man with round glasses. She saw Mr Bakshi behind him. “I’m Dr Whitehall. We know what’s been happening with you and your boyfriend. Think we wouldn’t find out?”

“Fitz...” Simmons whispered but then looked up. “You have no proof! You...”

“We have plenty,” Bakshi said and walked over. “And you’re going to provide us with even more.”

“I won’t...” Simmons strained but Whitehall looked her in the eye. 

“I’m afraid you will my dear. Have you heard of the faustus method?” 

 

“Someone’s very chirpy,” Mack said and Fitz smiled at him, drinking his tea in the lab.

“Things just...seem very clear, Mack,” he replied.

“Good weekend, was it?”

“Incredibly. Except for the rain.”

“Look,” Mack got up from working on a car and the man still towered over Fitz. “I checked the car you were in - just to see how it was driving, for safety reasons. I know you’re deleting the back-logs of your journeys.”

“Must have been an...a...accident.”

“Fitz. Where are you going?” Mack asked and Fitz didn’t reply, walking around the garage. “I’m only asking for your safety. If you’re going somewhere da...”

“Simmons,” Fitz replied and Mack stopped. “I...er...I found out where she lives and we...we’ve been re...er...reco...give me the word?” he asked but Mack shrugged. “Erm...recon...well, talking about things and we’re...we’re giving things a go.”

Mack started to smile and laughed.

“Wow, that...is not what I expected. But, what about your condition? She’s okay with it now?” he asked and Fitz nodded. 

“She just wants...the best for me. This way, I...I still see her, she’s still undercover and I can re...recover here. Show her my pr...progress.”

“I think you’re doing better,” Mack told him and Fitz smiled and nodded.

“I think so too. But er...don’t tell anyone. Coulson or the team. It’s a secret.”

“I won’t say a word,” Mack replied and then clapped Fitz on the shoulder before walking back over to the car.

 

“No...no!” Simmons struggled against the machine, tears running down her cheeks. 

“Take a deep breath, calm your mind, you know what is best. What is best is that you comply. Compliance will be rewarded...” Whitehall explained but Simmons shook her head, trying to close her eyes but she couldn’t resist. “Compliance will be rewarded Miss Simmons.”

It was a long 16 hours and Simmons was exhausted by the end - just needing to sleep. Dr Whitehall handed her a bottle of water.

“You must be thirsty,” he asked her and she nodded, taking a big sip. “You fought well, but all resistance can be overcome. Will you comply with us Miss Simmons?”

“I will,” Simmons replied and Dr Whitehall smiled. 

“Good. Now, for your instructions. Do you know what this is Miss Simmons?” Whitehall held up a photo of some markings - circles and lines on an obelisk. She shook her head. 

“No, never seen it before, doctor,” she told him. 

“This is something we’ve been investigating, and SHIELD has been looking for it too. We don’t understand what their interest is with it, but we need to find more from them. So, we need you to get Leopold Fitz to get the answers so you can report them back to us. Understood?”

“Understood, but Fitz might not know. If I didn’t know then...”

“Then you’ll get him to find out.”

“How?”

“A man in love will do many things, dear,” Whitehall explained. “Especially for someone as lovely as you,” Whitehall said and Simmons smiled flatly. “Invite him round tomorrow night and try to get some answers.”

“But we only see each other on weekends?”

“Make an exception,” he told her and she nodded. “Give him an offer he can’t refuse.”

“Like what?” Simmons asked and Whitehall laughed, looking into her innocent eyes. 

“There are two things that a man can’t say no to. His favourite food, and a beautiful woman, such as yourself, seducing him. The report says you’ve worked together for years - I’m sure you’ll know what will entice him. And if he won’t tell you anything, then you know what you need to do.” Whitehall said and Simmons nodded. “Now,” he continued. “You should go home and get some rest before the big day. You must be very tired. These gentlemen will escort you downstairs.”

Simmons nodded, in a daze with only one thought on her mind - sleep. She got up and was escorted down to the entrance of HYDRA’s labs. She knew the way home and walked the familiar route on that Monday night and came to her apartment. She’d missed a call on her encrypted line from Fitz. She instantly called him back.

“Electro-magnetism?” Fitz said and Simmons replied.

“Transcription,” she said.

“Hey, how...are you?” Fitz’s voice came.

“I’m okay, I’m really missing you,” she spoke, eyes tired but knowing what to do. “How are you?”

“Missing you...too,” Fitz said.

“I want to see you. I’ve been thinking about you all day,” Simmons told him. “I was...er...I was thinking. I can finish a bit earlier tomorrow and maybe you could come round? Saturday is so far away.”

“Tomorrow? Are...er...you sure?”

“Please Fitz, I’d love to see you. Be with you?” her voice became slightly more seductive. “I’ll make your favourite food and then maybe...we...could work off that food in a different way?” she cringed slightly at the line, but she had to get him there.

“On your...running machine?” Fitz asked curiously.

“Oh Fitz,” she laughed slightly. “Not quite...” There was a silence at the other end of the line.

“I thought you want...wanted to take this slow?” he asked her. 

“I did...but I’ve changed my mind. We should at least try. After all, we enjoyed the kissing and that brought us closer together and more comfortable. Maybe making love would make things even better for us?”

“Wow...erm...well...” she could tell he was flustered. “I...guess I c...can’t really...er...refuse. Are you sure? Seriously?”

“Positive,” Simmons replied and then yawned. “Come round about 5?”

“Yeah, I will,” Fitz’s tone of voice seemed much happier down the other end. “I won’t k...keep talking...you sound tired.”

“Is that okay? Tomorrow, we can talk more...well, there might not be too much time for talking.”

“Wow...er...yeah, yeah I need a bit of time to p...process this but you will see me tomorrow. I...erm...see ya. I miss you.”

“Miss you too,” Simmons said and the call cut out and Simmons, who was completely exhausted didn’t even bother with dinner and instead just fell to her bed into a very deep sleep.

 

The following day, Fitz pressed Mack for advice - he had no idea how to deal with this kind of situation. Sure, he’d been with other girls, but never as a long term thing, and this was Simmons. Jemma Simmons was offering herself up to him and he was unbelievably nervous. Mack just told him to be himself and try not to be nervous as that could make things difficult. Fitz could do that.

He went to his room and began to pack an overnight bag.

“Are you really going to do this?” fake Simmons was back, sat on his bed.

“You’re back again?” Fitz asked her, looking in his wardrobe for a shirt. 

“Yes, I am back because this doesn’t feel right. She’s asking you to go over there for sex! Does that sound like the Simmons you know?”

“Well, no, but...things have ch...changed between us,” Fitz explained. 

“Doesn’t it seem weird? You only kissed a few days ago and she wanted to take it slowly and now she’s gone back on that?”

“I don’t know...I guess it’s...odd but...”

“Exactly. You shouldn’t go.”

“Are you jealous?” Fitz smiled.

“Fitz, I’m not real. How can I be jealous?” fake Simmons got up and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m just saying. Think about it. You can’t go back from there if something happens.”

“We can try,” he looked at the empty space, blocking her from his mind, although the doubts didn’t disappear. It was a bit weird and he didn’t quite know what to expect, but right now, his mind was on other things. Like how not to make a fool of himself.

Once he was ready and controlled the doubts in his mind, he got into the car and set the location. He told himself that instead of expecting too much, he should just relax. After all, she could change her mind or things may not seem appropriate when they were in the situation. Fake Simmons had been right, things did seem a bit suspicious, but he’d only know when he got there, and he wasn’t going to pass up on the chance of seeing her. 

 

It was almost 5 and Simmons had finished making dinner. Fitz’s favourite - toad in the hole which they’d had many a time back at the academy when they’d decided to cook for themselves. She’d been looking through her wardrobe the day before at something to wear, but nothing she had seemed appropriate or seductive enough. She’d gone shopping earlier and bought herself some sexy lingerie and a tight, little black dress. She’d put her hair up with a clip and put on extra make-up and some more perfume, coughing slightly. 

She looked at herself in the mirror, certain that Fitz wouldn’t be able to take her eyes off her which is what she needed to get the answers. But, she was still really looking forward to seeing him, despite her ulterior motive.  
Her intercom buzzed and she breathed out. 

“Electro-magnetism?” she heard Fitz’s voice and smiled to herself. 

“Come on up,” she said and pressed the buzzer. Waiting anxiously, she turned off the stove and waited for the knock on the door. Happy to comply with whatever it was she needed to do. 

Once the knock came, she still jumped a little - she was still nervous in case she wasn’t able to get the information, but nothing was going to stop her. It was her orders to do so. She opened the door and saw Fitz looking handsome in a dark checked shirt and she genuinely smiled, still feeling her heart flutter. It wouldn’t be so difficult, especially considering how much she truly liked him. 

Fitz, himself, saw her and was lost for words - more than usual. He stuttered slightly before coming out with.

“Hi...er...hi...” he laughed slightly. “Erm...wine...I got wine?”

“Oh, thank you,” Simmons smiled. Fitz couldn’t take his eyes off her. “I made food? It’s your choice though which way you want to do this. If you’re hungry we can eat now?”

“I’m more...nervous than hungry,” he said.

“Don’t be,” she said and came over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders and tip-toeing to kiss him on the lips. Shock-waves ran through them both at the kiss. “I hope you don’t mind me suggesting this?”

“Mind? Of course not. It just...feels weird. It’s us and...er...out of character?” he provided and she shrugged.

“I know but...it’s us.” she said, giving a counter-argument. “And I want to be with you fully. I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I just really want you. You want me too, right?” she looked up at him with slight naughtiness in her eyes and Fitz nodded a lot. 

“This is the first time we’ve...ever...I guess I just I’m...wary?” 

“I know,” Simmons said put placed a hand to his cheek and gently moved it up to his hair, pressing herself closer to him. “So am I but...I’m sure you’ll take good care of me?” she smiled and he couldn’t ever resist that - so he brushed his nose up against hers and placed his arms around her waist, kissing her lips. 

“Always,” he replied and Simmons placed her hands on his waist, pushing him back on the bed which startled him a little.

“Oh sorry!” she giggled and Fitz looked up at her. “That was a bit too much.” 

“No, no don’t...er...apologise,” he told her and held out his arms to her. Simmons smiled and climbed onto the bed as Fitz wrapped his arms closer around her and kissed her more passionately. “We’re both...new to this.” 

“Yeah,” Simmons looked into Fitz’s eyes. For a moment, she forgot all about HYDRA’s task for her and only focussed on Fitz and how happy she was with him. 

“So, how do you want to do this?” he asked her and she smiled.

“However you want it to happen...” she replied and took out her hairclip, hair falling on her shoulders and Fitz kissed Simmons with increasing passion, reaching for the zip on the back of her dress with his hands shaking. 

“Best...er...get started then,” Fitz said between kissing her and she nodded - happy to comply.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fitzsimmons have taken their relationship to a whole new level, but Simmons has an ulterior motive. What is it that HYDRA are after?

“Wow!” Fitz laughed and leant back on the bed. “That was...” he didn’t have enough blood rushing to his brain to complete that sentence. Simmons smiled and lay down next to him. 

“Much better than I anticipated. Not that I thought it would be bad, I just thought it would be a bit more awkward,” Simmons said and sat up, wrapping her duvet around her. 

“Yeah...er...yeah, I just...need a minute,” Fitz stared up at the ceiling, thanking his lucky stars and Simmons giggled and kissed him on the lips before getting up and putting on her dress.

“Well, that’s not it - there’s still food?” Simmons reminded him. “I made toad in the hole. Well, I tried to, the batter may not be that crispy but oh well.” 

“I...still need a minute,” Fitz said and breathed out heavily.

“Not like you to refuse food?” Simmons smiled and went over to the kitchen as Fitz stood up and put his shirt and trousers back on before walking over to her.

“Yeah, I am hungry,” he responded and put his arms around her waist from behind, kissing her on the neck. “Thank you.”

“That’s okay,” she giggled. Fitz sat down at the table, noticing a few pieces of paper with strange carvings on them.

“What’s this?” he asked her and she looked over, brain more alive now. Whitehall was right.

“Oh, it’s something I’m looking over at HYDRA,” Simmons said casually. “I don’t know what it is. Have...erm...you seen it before?” she asked him.

Fitz shook his head.

“No idea,” he said. “It looks almost like...er...plumbing.”

“Do you think Coulson would know? I’d ask him myself but you know how secretive he is.”

“Probably. He keeps a lot of...secrets,” Fitz sighed. “Did you know Ward...vault D?” Simmons sighed and nodded. 

“I didn’t want it to upset you. That’s why...no one said anything. I’m sorry...”  
“It’s okay now,” Fitz sighed and looked back at the images. “Why does HYDRA want these?”

“I don’t know. Seems important though, and if I don’t find out...” Simmons shrugged and sat down. “Could you ask him for me? Coulson? But, don’t say I wanted to know.” 

“He doesn’t know about us,” Fitz indicated the two of them and smelt the food. “This is really good,” he said and Simmons smiled.

“So will you?”

“Will I what?” Fitz looked up.

“Ask Coulson?” Simmons smiled. “I need to know by the weekend as I have a deadline.”

“Yeah, I...guess so,” Fitz said indifferently. “If it’ll help you.”

“Thank you,” Simmons smiled and walked over to him, sitting herself on his lap before giving him a longing kiss. “There’s plenty more of that to come,” she said and flicked him on the nose which made him smile. “Now, food?”

“Yes, starving,” Fitz replied and Simmons got up and started to serve.

He spent the night there again although they didn’t do much sleeping. Simmons was finding the whole situation much easier than she thought and this was certainly the best task HYDRA had set her - being intimate with her new boyfriend. They didn’t discuss the alien writing any further until a few moments before Fitz was due to leave.

“Don’t forget to ask Coulson,” Simmons said and kissed him straight after so he couldn’t refuse. Fitz smiled and nodded.

“I will, but I can’t guarantee any results,” he said and pushed her hair back. “Stay safe, Simmons. I’ll see you at the weekend.”

“I’ll try,” Simmons smiled back and kissed him once again - she always felt sad at this point, when Fitz was about to leave, but now she had to report back to Dr Whitehall and return to her life at HYDRA.

 

Fitz had a huge smile on his face the whole drive back and Mack instantly knew what it meant as Fitz walked into the kitchen to make tea. Hunter, who was also in the kitchen spoke up.

“What are you so happy about, mate?” he asked. “And can I have a dose of that?”

“I can be happy, Hunter,” Fitz replied and put lots of sugar in the mug. Hunter looked back at Mack who smirked.

“No way, you got laid last night?” Hunter said and Fitz looked at Mack.

“I didn’t say anything. You seem to be giving it away yourself,” Mack replied and Hunter laughed.

“Congratulations mate!” he clapped Fitz on the back. “So, who’s the lucky girl?”

“What lucky girl?” Skye walked into the kitchen. “Ooh! Is there gossip?” 

“There certainly is,” Hunter put an arm around Fitz’s shoulder. 

“Fitz! Did you...no way,” Skye laughed and then called out to the corridor. “TRIPP! GUESS WHO GOT SOME LAST NIGHT?”

“Girl, you don’t need to tell me what you’ve been doing...”

“Not me! Fitz!” 

“Guys...don’t make this into...er...” Fitz tried to speak but before he knew it Tripp ran in.

“My man!” he said and gave Fitz a fist bump. “So, who is the lucky girl?”

“We want all the details,” Skye grinned and Fitz looked between the team and then to Mack for help.

“Come on, a gentleman never tells,” Mack provided. “Let Fitz have his little secret.” 

“Who has secrets?” May’s voice came and everyone looked over.

“Oh what the whole bloody...team are having breakfast now?! Does everyone have to know?” Fitz sighed.

“Know what?” May asked.

“That Fitz was with a girl last night,” Skye grinned. “Aww, I’m so happy for you. Is it love?” 

“Skye!” Fitz said and moved out of the way to put some milk in his very strong tea. “I’m not going to...be talk of the team with this.”

“Fine, we’ll get it out of you soon. As long as you’re happy,” Hunter said and went to drink his coffee.

“I am in fact,” Fitz said and Skye grinned from ear to ear and nudged Tripp. “Now if you don’t...er...mind. I have to see Coulson.”

“See you later, stud,” Mack said and the rest of the team laughed and Fitz smiled, walking off to Coulson’s office.

What would the team say if they knew who it was that Fitz had been seeing? None of them really knew what happened between the two of them before Simmons had left, nor did they know about his feelings for her and her new ones for him. Skye would probably be twice as happy, but he couldn’t risk them finding out just yet.

“Tell me this doesn’t seem odd to you,” fake Simmons appeared beside him and Fitz rolled his eyes. “She’s getting you to look at weird stuff for HYDRA! Fitz, come on, this is so out of character!”  
“We always conv...talk about projects together?”

“But the way she asked you...and she lured you there. For sex.”

“Lured me? I went of my own choice!” Fitz insisted, stopping and facing the blank space. “I am with her. I don’t care what you think.”

“You do, because I’m really your thoughts, so clearly, somewhere in your subconscious you are having doubts and wondering whether Simmons is just using you.”

“She’s not using me! She wouldn’t do that!” 

“She wouldn’t, but what if there was something else at play.”

“Just shut up,” Fitz said and silenced fake Simmons as he reached Coulson’s office and knocked on the door - hearing Coulson telling him to come in. The older man sorting through paperwork.

“Hey Fitz, what’s up?” he asked and Fitz shut the door behind him.

“I...erm...” with all these thoughts of Simmons in his mind, he hadn’t even considered how he was going to ask Coulson about the carvings. “I was...er...going over some files and I f...I found this?” he tried to make excuses and hand Coulson the paper.

Even without any words, Fitz could tell that whatever it was - was something big.

“Who showed you this? Ward?” Coulson looked up.

“What? Ward knows? No, it was...erm...just...old files.”

“Which files?” Coulson got up and Fitz shrugged.

“Is it import...important? Because I just...was c...wanted to know what they were?”

“Which files, Fitz?” Coulson pressed and Fitz swallowed back.

“Erm...I don’t remember,” Fitz said and Coulson looked him in the eye.

“Fitz, what’s going on?” he asked and Fitz sighed.

“Okay...okay. Erm...Ward. Ward told me. It wasn’t from...any files he just...he was...er... carving them?”

“That can’t be possible, Fitz,” Coulson said. 

“You’re right. It’s not,” Fitz sighed and then hit the side of the table. “I can’t tell you...where they are from, sir.”

“I am Director of SHIELD, Fitz, you’d better damn well tell me where they are from,” Coulson said.

“Why are you so...concerned? What are they? What do they mean?”

“FITZ!” Coulson insisted and Fitz almost jumped. “Where is this from?”

Fitz lowered his gaze - he couldn’t lie about it because he truly didn’t know what it was that he was dealing with here.

“Simmons.”

“Excuse me?”

“Simmons! I’ve been...seeing Simmons.”

“Where?”

Fitz sighed and paced around the office. 

“After you...mentioned she was on a mission, I found out that you’d been visiting someone. I checked the car and found out where she lived and I went to see her. She...we talked and...things happened.”

“Things?” Coulson queried.

“Yes, things. You know...I don’t want to spell it out, sir.”

“Oh...” Coulson came to a realisation. “Hold on, you and Simmons? I thought that...never mind. What about these carvings?”

“Well, I was there last night and...and she asked me to ask you about them. Some mission from HYDRA, but she said not to tell...say it was from her. Sir...she’s at HYDRA. You...you never told me she was at HYDRA? All the things that...er...could happen to her.”

Coulson walked over to him.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything but she seems to be okay. HYDRA are after these carvings too.”

“Too? What are they then?” Fitz asked and Coulson sighed.

“Garrett was carving them. I don’t know what it was, some compulsion,” Coulson told him. “But whatever it is, it just seems to...eat the person up. They have to carve it. Do you know who carved them?”

“No sir. She just wanted to know what...they were for a project.”

Coulson nodded and walked back towards his desk.

“Sir, you won’t tell her?” Fitz asked and Coulson sighed. “We’re just...building up our relationship. I don’t want her to...think she can’t trust me?”

Coulson sighed and shrugged.

“I just don’t see why they’d have her working on that,” Coulson said. “Alright, I won’t say anything, but if she asks you anything more, you come to me first?”

“I will. So...what do I tell her?” Fitz asked.

“About?”

“About the carvings?” 

“That’s classified,” Coulson simply replied and Fitz was about to speak. “Is that a problem, Agent Fitz.” Fitz shook his head.

“Understood sir,” was his reply as he walked towards the door. 

“Fitz?”

“Yeah?” Fitz turned around and saw Coulson smiling.

“I’m happy for you. Both of you. It’s about time you two fixed things,” he said and Fitz smiled and nodded, leaving the office.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh god! I wasn't expecting that last scene and writing it just broke me. BBY <3

“So, what did you find out?” Simmons asked on the call that night, casually. “About the carvings?”

“Well, it seems that the information is...erm...classified.”

“Classified? So, you didn’t find anything out?”

“Nope, but I do think it’s very important. He seemed very...very...er...defensive over it. He mentioned Garrett.”

“What’s Garrett got to do with it?” Simmons asked. 

“Apparently, he was the one carving these things,” Fitz said. “A...erm...an urge. Couldn’t stop it before he died.”

“But Garrett was Deathlock and...surely...can’t be related to that, can it? Mike Peterson never showed signs?” 

“I don’t know. Sorry, I couldn’t find out anymore but...”

“You’re giving up?” Simmons pressed in a tone that Fitz felt uncomfortable with. “Fitz, please, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. I really need more information than that. Where it came from, why Garrett was carving it, what it means. Can’t you ask Coulson again?”

“Why do you need...to know so much?”

“For HYDRA, like I said,” Simmons said. “It’s my job now and I’m worried if I don’t tell them, then they’ll demote me and I won’t be able to get up the ranks. If I do this, then I will and Coulson’s plan will work.”

“I don’t see why you...just don’t come home. Everyone misses you. I miss you. We could...er...see each other more here. Really give this a proper go?” Fitz asked and Simmons was quiet for a while.

“I’m sorry Fitz, Coulson needs me to do this.”

“Yes but...if you went on the assignment to get away from me then...”

“I didn’t do that at all, oh Fitz,” Simmons said and sighed. “Please don’t believe that. I wanted to help you, but now, it’s more than that. It’s about destroying the people that hurt us, that did this to us. From within. We can take them down, Fitz and I can’t let anything get in the way of what I’m meant to do.”

“You sound like a different...person saying that, Simmons. Are you okay?” Fitz asked, concerned.

“I’m just tired,” Simmons sighed. “I really miss you too. I love you.”

The three words echoed in Fitz’s ears, and he almost wondered if he’d imagined them.

“What?”

“I love you,” she said in a happier voice.

“Er...” Fitz didn’t reply. Love? They’d only been together a week or so? Sure, he’d known her most of his life and he liked her more than a friend and he loved her as a friend, but love? He reckoned that he could easily feel that way - in fact, he probably did, but wasn’t it a bit soon to be saying that?

“Hello? Are you still there?”

“Yeah...erm...Simmons, did you really mean that? Because, I don’t need you to...”

“Of course I mean it!” Simmons said. “I do love you. I really, really do. And I’ll love you even more if you get this information for me?”

“What information?” Fitz said tentatively.

“About the carvings, silly!” Simmons laughed. “Ooh, I know. Ward! Ward will know - he was with Garrett almost until he died! You could ask him?”

“Ward...you...Simmons, you...” Fitz couldn’t speak for thinking. Something wasn’t quite right here. “You want me to go down to...see Ward and talk to him? The man who...who tried to kill us?”

“Well, he may as well be made useful. After what he did, he owes us so much. And he should know. Please, Fitz...I wouldn’t ask if I really, really didn’t need it.”

“I...” Fitz’s voice trailed off. “I don’t want to ever see him again?”

“I know,” Simmons said. “But I’ll reward you if you do this for me?”

“We seem to be doing a lot of that lately,” Fitz replied.

“Can’t I spoil my boyfriend?” Simmons laughed. “Especially one I love so much.”

“Stop...Jemma...it doesn’t sound right.”

“What doesn’t?”

“You saying that word. To me.”

“Love?”

“Yes! It...it doesn’t sound meaningful and...” Fitz sighed. “I think, maybe, we should talk about this in person?”

“Well, not until you’ve spoken to Ward. Don’t you come here empty handed Leo!”

“You...never call me Leo...” Fitz said slowly.

“I think it’s about time I did, it’s a really beautiful name,” Simmons giggled.

“Okay...erm...well, I’ll let you go now because I need to...erm...go, but I’ll talk to you soon?”

“Really soon,” Simmons replied. “And I do love you. No matter what you think.”

“Yeah, sure...” Fitz said and hung up the line before breathing out and sitting down on his bed.

“Now will you believe me?” fake Simmons asked him and Fitz nodded.

“Okay, something isn’t right but...well...maybe she just wants to know the information?”

“Oh, and to ask you to talk to Ward? What a bloody cheek!” fake Simmons sat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Fitz...she called you Leo. You hate people using that name because it’s your dad’s.”

Fitz put his head in his hands.

“Why would she say she loved me if...she didn’t mean it?” 

“I don’t know, Fitz,” fake Simmons replied and then Fitz got up.

“I need to talk to Ward.”

“WHAT?!”

“I need to...I need to ask him about...the carvings and...about HYDRA.” 

“Fitz, you can’t...don’t do this to yourself!” fake Simmons got up but he stopped her.

“I have to do this, Simmons. For you. Well, for her. I need to know what they’re...holding over her to make her act this way.”

Fitz walked out of his room, aware of the late hour, and towards vault D. He walked down the steps, feeling both nervous and anxious. The last time he was here, he’d tried to kill the man and felt completely lost for words, almost breaking down. What would happen this time?

He picked up the tablet and opened the screen and saw Ward sat on his bed, looking up - completely lost.

“Fitz...I’m sor...”

“No, don’t...I don’t want...er...to hear it,” Fitz could feel his rage inside. “I’m the one who...I shouldn’t have...look I...I need to know something.”

“Fitz...”

“No, let me...I need to be the one who talks now,” Fitz said and sighed. “I need to know about...these carvings that Garrett did.”

“Why...who’s doing them?”

“No, you don’t ask the...the questions. You answer them. What are they, why are they so im...important.”

Ward sighed and walked around. 

“Garrett said it made things clearer for him. He could see the universe and what was going to happen. What people would become, how they would evolve. A new...he talked a lot of mad stuff that no one understood. He seemed to think the writing was leading him to something new. Clarity and he could understand and see clearly what would happen in our future.”

“That’s...weird,” Fitz said. 

“Why, who needs to know?” Ward asked but Fitz shook his head and hand at him, starting to walk around.

“And...Donnie. You said, something had happened with Donnie and...brain washing. How...how do you know if someone is brainwashed by HYDRA?” Fitz asked - he needed to hear the words. His heart thundering. 

“Well, they...they have a special mantra that they say to people who have been brainwashed, and they’ll make excuses to get what they want. Do things, they wouldn’t normally do or say. And if they can’t get their way, they’ll become violent.”

“Can...can you stop them from...being brainwashed?” 

“I’ve never needed to know that, but sometimes, the only solution is you have to take them out,” Ward replied and Fitz instantly shut the screen in front of Ward, running up the steps and slamming the door shut behind him. 

“No...” Fitz leant up against the door. 

He ran towards Coulson’s room - knowing he wouldn’t be in the office at this time and banged, hard on the door repeatedly. 

“Alright...alright...” Coulson opened it and was in his pyjamas. “Fitz? What’s...”

“I think...I think she’s brainwashed, sir. I...she keeps persisting with asking about the carvings and then today she said...er...something totally unnatural and I don’t think it’s her.”

“What? You...Fitz, come in, calm yourself down,” Coulson said and put an arm around the younger man who was shaking with tears in his eyes. Coulson offered Fitz a seat and sat down on his bed. “Tell me what’s happened.”

Fitz explained in his broken words what he thought was happening. Neither one of them could be totally sure, but they both knew that something wasn’t right with Simmons and that she was in danger.

“Sir, what are we going to...to do? We have to save her...”

“I don’t know what we can do, Fitz. Maybe if we could somehow get her into that memory machine? The one from centipede?”

“But it’s here and she’s...it wouldn’t work in the same way. We don’t even know how it works,” Fitz groaned. “But if...I could somehow make something that worked in a similar way...I could try to...I need time and we don’t have time...what if she’s in danger?”

Coulson sighed and then shut his eyes.

“I’m going to regret this but...she seems to think she can get information from you because you’re a thing now,” Coulson said. “You need to keep her oblivious. Keep giving her information and keep her sweet. Do whatever you have to do.”

“Lie to her?”

“She can’t find out that anything is wrong or that you know, because she will take you out, Fitz. She will harm you.”

“She...surely not?” Fitz wasn’t even sure and then shook his head. “But I have to keep...seeing her or she’ll know something is wrong. I can’t...be all distant or she’ll figure it out but I can’t...be in...in a relationship with...with someone who isn’t...”

“Fitz, you have to act as normal. You need to or she’s going to be in danger. Whatever it is she wants from you, intimacy, sex or even going out on dates, you need to pretend like nothing has changed.”

Fitz looked up.

“You want me to...no...no, that’s wrong...” Fitz got up.

“Fitz!” 

“Sir, if she’s not in her...right mind...I can’t take advantage...I can’t do that to her!”

“If you don’t, you risk everything Fitz. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I have to ask you to do this, but it’s for her own good. She will understand why you’re doing it.”

“It’s...I ca...”

“Listen to me, listen to me,” Coulson said and put a hand on Fitz’s shoulder. “You need to calm down and you need to focus. If you don’t do this, Fitz, Simmons could die. You don’t know what control they have over her. No one knows this. Sometimes, they have spies with cyanide capsulse in their cheeks or like the centipede eyes - she could have a kill switch. We will get all the best people on working on someway to cure her and bring her back safely, but until then, you have to do this.”

Fitz shook his head.

“If I...take advantage like this, our relationship will never be the same. We’ve...we’ve finally got to a good place where we can...and...it’s going to destroy it...I can’t lose what we have again...”

“If you don’t, you’ll lose her for good,” Coulson said and Fitz looked him in the eye before breaking down in tears. “Hey...hey...” Coulson said and hugged Fitz.

“Why did...did she have to go? She’s in danger because of...because I’m so...useless.”

“No she didn’t leave because of that,” Coulson said. 

“Why else...would...”

“She spoke to me and told me how she felt about you. How she didn’t want to see you hurt any longer because she didn’t think she was helping you recover. I’m sorry that the mission was HYDRA, I am never going to forgive myself for this but I will do everything I can to make sure you two are okay afterwards. I promise.”

Fitz sniffed and looked up at Coulson. 

“I’m...I’m sorry for...er...this.”

“Don’t be,” Coulson said warmly and put an arm around Fitz’s shoulder. “This is my top priority - getting her home safely and we will all work on how to do that. We’ll bring her home for you.” Fitz nodded. “Try to get some sleep. I know you’re worried, but we’ll plan this in the morning. I’ll go make some calls now and we can discuss it in my office with the team.”

“Okay,” Fitz nodded and walked towards the door of Coulson’s room, and dried his eyes on his sleeve, walking back to his own room where fake Simmons was sat on the bed with her kind, caring eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said simply and held out her arms to him as he sat down and hugged her. This wasn’t Simmons but neither was the girl at the end of that phone line or in that apartment. Where had she gone? What had happened to her?

Fitz didn’t know what broke his heart more - the fact that Simmons was in more danger than he could have ever imagined, or the fact that she didn’t mean anything she’d said to him because she’d been brainwashed the whole time? His perfect reality had turned into dust, right before him and his dreams were completely crushed all over again.

He knew it was too good to be true - to have the girl of his dreams like him back as much as he liked her. He’d have to accept that. But, right now, his main priority was to keep her safe, no matter what she felt or rather didn’t feel for him. If that meant that he had to embark on a fake relationship with Simmons to keep her safe, that’s what he’d do.

After all, it was the closest he would ever get to be with her. Even if it wasn’t real...


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay - had a few issues with this chapter but I hope it's okay :) thanks for reading

The morning after came and team were called in - the situation was explained. Skye and Tripp, especially, were extremely worried, and piles of engineers and scientists were working with Fitz on making some equipment that could work on Simmons. 

Fitz, who was completely frustrated at his lack of ability to help was being pushed to the side-lines.

“How dare they do this,” he commented to fake Simmons. “You’re my girlfriend, I’m the...the one who should be working on this. I know best. Yet...yet they think I’m some...stupid love-sick puppy.”

“They don’t, they just want to help...”

“No they don’t understand though...they’re just working to a task but I know...I know what it’s like, what you’re like.”

“It’s not me, remember?” she reminded him and Fitz nodded. “Come on, let’s give them some space to work. They’ll call you when they need you.”

“But how do I even know they’re doing it right?”

“You’re aggravated. It won’t help if you stay,” she told him and put a hand on his shoulder as he turned around and walked towards the other side of the lab. 

“Coulson is...he’s expecting me to...to leave all the science stuff up to other people and just work on our relationship. That’s not being...er...what’s the word...”

“Utilized?”

“Yes! Thank you,” he sighed. “Surely there must be another way...”

“Without her getting hurt? I’m not sure,” fake Simmons replied. “Look, you...it’s only a few more days until the weekend. She’s still the same Simmons, but she’s just not under her own control.”

Fitz sighed and got up, walking around as fake Simmons watched him.

“I just want her back.”

“She will be,” was the reply.

Fitz got up and walked back over to the main lab.

“No...no...no, listen that’s not...er...I need...” he sighed, frustrated as Mack walked in. He looked at the man. “I need help...explaining.”

“Explaining what?” Mack looked at the work that was being done. “All looks fine to me.”

“It’s...it’s...” Fitz sighed. “Get me some paper and a pen...I need you to draw it.” Mack did so and came back and Fitz tried his best to guide him - but what he really needed was Simmons’ help. Not the fake Simmons, the real one. She’d know what to do.

“I get it,” Mack said. “That’s a good idea and it’ll work. Alright everyone, listen up. Turbo has the idea of how to get this to work so you’d better listen to me and him.”

“Thank you Mack,” Fitz smiled and Mack smiled back as he began to explain.

 

Fitz spoke again that night to Simmons but Coulson instructed that he had to be present too for the call which made him more anxious and embarressed - especially considering some of the things Simmons was saying down the phone that even made Coulson screw up his face and respond after: 

“I never knew she had it in her.”

It was nearly the weekend and Fitz was preparing to go to see Simmons - packing reluctantly his usual overnight bag. He wasn’t entirely sure what they would plan to do, but Coulson had given him a few ideas.

“You need to keep her in the apartment, whatever you do, don’t let her go into the public. You don’t know what she could do,” he said. “Just...cook her a nice dinner or something. Stay in, watch a movie. Whatever kids do nowadays. Whatever she wants, you give it to her, and you remember our story?”

“Yes, the carvings were from the...the death-lock subjects and Mike Peterson had only done them before the extremis was stabilised,” Fitz said. “Okay.”

“Keep her sweet and happy. Buy her some flowers.”

“Oh, no sir. She doesn’t like flowers. Finds it cruel when people kill them for pretty bouquets,” Fitz said and Coulson smiled.

“Well, buy her something. Show her that you care, girls love that stuff.”

“Did Audrey?” Fitz asked and Coulson smiled flatly.

“Yeah...yeah she did...”

 

Whilst Coulson wanted a full report on Monday and gave Fitz a special bullet proof shirt to wear - he trusted Fitz over the weekend so let him drive off to see Simmons that Saturday morning. He had given the scientists and engineers all the information that was necessary to build a device to bring back Simmons’ memories and they assured him they’d work on it whilst he was gone.

He reached Simmons’ apartment block and Fitz sighed to himself - could he really do this? Pretend whilst all along he was just biding time? He had to. He was the only one who she was relying on and he had to be there for her - even if it wasn’t really her. 

“Electro-magnetism?” he did the usual routine and Simmons buzzed him into the building. A mixture of dread and excitement filled him - much like the first time he’d been here. 

The lift opened and he walked slowly towards apartment 2c and hovered his hand before the white door.

“Okay...” he said and knocked, squinting his eyes shut as he did so.

Simmons opened the door wearing a nice blouse and jeans and smiled so warmly that it was almost like she really was the same person. 

“Hi!” she said sweetly and hugged him and kissed him on the lips which made Fitz smile. “How are you? Come in, I’ve already made some tea.”

Fitz shut the door behind him and entered quietly as Simmons handed him a mug. He watched her closely - she was just acting normally, maybe he’d gotten it all wrong?

“I...er...got you...something,” Fitz said and reached into his bag. “I can’t imagine you had the newest season on dvd so...” he handed her a copy of the new Dr Who boxset and she grinned from ear to ear.

“Thank you! Aww,” she laughed. 

“I thought we could watch it?”

“All of it? That’ll take hours,” Simmons said.

“Yeah, but...” Fitz cringed at what he was doing, but somehow, it was just coming more natural now he was with her. “Think of what we could do whilst it’s on...just cuddle up under a blanket and eat food and drink tea. Like the old days at the...at the academy?”

“I do like the sound of that,” Simmons smiled and Fitz sat down on the couch as she put the DVD in and got a blanket from her wardrobe, throwing it over them and snuggling up to him. He hesitated a moment but then put his arm around her and she eased into him, relaxing on his shoulder.

It wasn’t long before the pair were reminiscing like the old days but this time it was different because whilst Fitz was still unsure - it wasn’t long before the two were making out again.   
“Want to move this...over to the bed?” Simmons asked between kisses.

“Erm...yeah...okay,” Fitz replied.

“Oh don’t sound too eager,” she said and he smiled and shook his head and kissed her again.

“Sorry.”

“You’ve been quiet today, Leo,” she said and he cringed at the use of his first name. “Is something wrong?”

Fitz sighed and leant back on the couch and Simmons looked at him.

“You said you...loved me on the phone. We...need to talk about that because...I don’t know if...is it too soon? We...we said we would take this slowly?”

“I know you feel the same way, so why is that a problem?” she asked him.

“Because I don’t know if you do,” he told her. “Are you saying that because you...you feel you have to because if you...if you don’t love me then...you don’t need to say it.”

“I do! I do love you,” she reassured him. “Are you ever going to believe that it’s the truth?”

“I don’t know, Jemma,” Fitz sighed and got up. “I just...I want to, I really want to believe that this is...this is real, but I know it isn’t.”

Simmons got up and encircled her arms around him and looked up into his eyes. 

“It is real,” she told him simply and hugged him closer. “And even if you don’t believe me, I’m going to still feel that way. Whether you like it or not.” 

She smiled up at him and he saw the genuine light in her eyes - Simmons always had been a terrible liar, so maybe she was really telling the truth?

“Are you having second thoughts?” she asked him and he shook his head.

“No, I just...want you to be sure,” he told her and she smiled and kissed him. 

“I am,” she said and walked over to the bed, sitting down on it and patted the space next to him. Fitz smiled and walked over her and sat down, kissing her back as she swung her legs over his and positioned herself on his lap, placing her hands into his hair. “And if you won’t let me tell you then please, let me show you.”

It was at the moment that Fitz was thrown back to thoughts of the pod under the ocean and the words he’d said to her back then and he kissed her. 

“Okay,” he replied and leant back with his head on the pillow and Simmons draped over him.

 

After a long afternoon of laying in bed together after exhausting themselves, Fitzsimmons decided to return to the Dr Who marathon for the rest of the evening. Fitz, who had recovered better remained watching the episodes but Simmons, who was still tired fell asleep curled up in Fitz’s arms. Fitz started to stroke back her hair and kissed her on the top of her head.

“Jemma, I don’t know if...if you can hear me or if...if you’d even listen but you don’t need to do this. You don’t need to follow their...their orders. We can help you, get you back and out of their...erm...this isn’t you. I can tell every time that I...I look at you that it isn’t you. When this is fixed we can get back to normal or...or at least try. I want this but I want you to want it too. Please come back?” he whispered but she didn’t stir, still sleeping. He checked the time and decided it would be better for her to rest in bed so he turned off the TV and lifted her up in his arms and carried her over there and lay her down, placing the duvet over her and getting in himself, next to her. 

He reached out and held one of her hands, the others placed to the side of her cheek as he kissed her lightly on the lips.

“Oh Jemma, I hope you can forgive me for...taking advantage of you,” Fitz sighed and then felt a small movement of her hand in his as she held it a little tighter and he smiled, shutting his eyes too. “I’ll make it up to you.”

In the middle of the night, Simmons’ phone buzzed with an unknown number and Fitz woke up to see it. She stirred in her sleep. 

Simmons looked over and saw her phone buzzing with an unknown number. 

“It’s yours,” Fitz told her and handed her the phone. Her eyes widened.

“Erm...I’ll be back in a moment. I just need to take this,” she said and jumped out of the bed.

“Who is it?” Fitz asked her and she hesitated before replying.

“My lab partner,” she told him before giving him a kiss and walking towards her bathroom. She shut the door behind her and Fitz slowly got up, walking quietly towards the door to listen in.

“So you haven’t spoken about it all day?” a male voice came.

“No...I’m sorry...we were busy and...”

“Miss Simmons, you mustn’t forget that this is your job and it’s what you’re instructed to do. If the Faustaus method has reduced then I insist tomorrow that you send him home early and return here to reinforce it.”

“No...I will talk to him, I’ll ask him in the morning. Please don’t...”

“Needs must, Miss Simmons. Either you have a full report to bring in by 12 noon tomorrow or we will come to your apartment and get the information ourselves from the both of you.”

“Fitz...no you can’t! Please don’t hurt him...”   
“Take a deep breath, calm your mind, you know what is best. What is best is that you comply. Compliance will be rewarded...” the voice said. “You will find out that information in any way you can. Do you understand, Miss Simmons?”

“I understand,” she replied.

Fitz rushed back over to the bed and climbed back into the same position and shut his eyes, pretending to be asleep as he heard the bathroom door open and felt the duvet move as Simmons climbed in next to him.

“Who was it?” he mumbled and she smiled and shook her head.

“Nothing to worry about,” she said and kissed him. “Go back to sleep.”

“But I...I need the loo now,” he said and got up, slipping his phone into the pocket of the pyjamas. 

“Okay,” Simmons yawned and turned over to the other side before Fitz got up and walked to the bathroom. He looked through the crack in the door before ringing Coulson’s number.

“Fitz? What’s happening?” a sleepy reply came.

“Coulson? She was on the phone with someone from HYDRA. They need the...information before 12 tomorrow and then she’s going to go back to HYDRA for a second set of the b...the...”

“Brainwashing?”

“Yes, we need to get the machine...ready for tomorrow.”

“I don’t know if it’ll be done in time. Or if it’ll even work. Fitz, I know this is your design and...”

“I can do it, sir. I know. I’m not what I...I used to be,” he checked again but Simmons was still asleep. “But I have a purpose. This will work because...because it has to. As long as they follow my designs.”

“Mack is making sure of that,” Coulson told him. “Okay, meet us outside at 9 tomorrow.” 

“Okay, sir. Thank you,” Fitz said.

“It’ll be okay Fitz,” Coulson told him and hung up the phone as Fitz flushed the loo and went out.

He looked at Simmons in the bed for a moment before walking over to his side and settling down behind her to spoon, wrapping one arm around her waist and kissed her neck.

“Goodnight,” he said and held her tightly - she’d be back soon. It would all be over.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Action scene! Will Fitz be able to bring Simmons back in time??

Fitz didn’t sleep for most of the night, drifting in and out of dreams but Simmons slept peacefully. He didn’t even want to wake her but it was nearing 9am and he knew that he had to.

“Hey? Jemma,” she said and brushed her hair back and kissed her down the side of her neck up to her lips until she smiled and woke up.

“I’m sleeping...”

“Okay, listen...I...have a really good idea,” he said - having the speech planned. “I’m going to get us breakfast and then I’ll be back.”

“We have breakfast stuff here?”

“Not this kind of breakfast stuff,” Fitz said and she nodded and smiled before cuddling back into her pillow and he breathed out, changing into jeans and a shirt. “Can I take your card?”

“Mm-hmm,” she said in a sleepy voice and he smiled, leaving her apartment and dialled the number.

“Coulson? How close are you?”

“5 minutes away, Fitz. Where are you?”

“Heading out...erm...can you pick up some breakfast on the way?”

“For whom?”

“That was...my...excuse to get out. I was going to get breakfast.”

“Oh...got it, okay, I’ll send May and Skye to get it.”

“Thank you, sir.”

He walked towards their agreed meeting place - a car park not far away and looked at the black van, seeing Coulson exit with a bag in his hand and Tripp and Hunter coming out the other side.

“May and Skye will be here soon. I sent them to get bagels, is that okay?” Coulson asked and Fitz nodded.

“Does it work?” he asked and opened the bag and then looked up. “This...isn’t the machine.”

“No, this is the machine,” Tripp said, holding out a small helmet looking machine that had wires connected from top to bottom. “That is something that Hunter suggested.”

“I was married to a spy and she pulled the same trick on me once to stop me from following her when she went out once. Can’t say I didn’t learn a few things from the she-devil,” Hunter explained and Fitz took out a blind fold and a pair of handcuffs looking between the three men.

“You really expect me...to use this?”

“You’re a couple now, heat things up a bit and offer her that. Once she’s in place, put the device on her head and let it do its work.” 

“Sir, I pray, never say that first sentence ever again,” Fitz cringed. “Where’s Mack?”

“He’s on comms, he’s going to control it from the base,” Tripp told him and Fitz nodded and took an earpiece, placing it in his ear. “And this one is to contact us. Just press this button and we’ll come up. We have your door unlocking device.” Fitz smiled flatly and nodded in reply.

“Hey romeo,” came Skye’s voice and Fitz looked over to see May and Skye returning.

“How are you holding up?” May asked and Fitz sighed.

“I just want her...back to normal,” Fitz told them and May handed him a bag. “That’s a lot of breakfast for two people.”

“We got some for us too,” Skye said. “What? We didn’t know how long we’d be here?”

“Gotta eat, Phil,” May handed him a bag and Coulson sighed and nodded. 

“Okay. Do...that stuff and then once you have her in position, not like a weird position but...erm...” Coulson looked at May who rolled her eyes.

“Once she’s restrained, call us and we’ll come up with the machine.”

“Okay,” Fitz nodded and Skye patted him on the arm slightly.

“We won’t be far behind,” she said and Fitz smiled at her, turning around, walking back to the apartment.

“Mack?” he said into the earpiece.

“How’s it going Turbo?”

“Okay. The device is okay?”

“Been up all night with the others working on it,” he told him. “You designed something great - it’s an intelligent machine. Will completely reverse the effects within eight minutes.”

“Eight minutes?”

“Yeah, that’s why everyone is there, in case things get...difficult in that time.”

“Thank you for this,” Fitz told him. “When she’s back, you two will get on really well, I’m sure.”

“Just make sure you turn off comms before you go back in - I know what Hunter’s suggestion is.”

“Very funny, but a...good point, talk later Mack.” 

“Good luck, Turbo,” was Mack’s reply. 

Fitz reached the apartment blocks and instead of his usual buzz in, he placed the card to the door which opened for him. He made his familiar route up in the lift - it may be the last time that he’d ever take this journey. Once she was back to normal, they’d have to get her out of HYDRA and bring her home.

He reached the second floor and exhaled deeply, walking towards Simmons apartment and opened the door, seeing her stood by the kettle making tea. She smiled up sweetly at him.

“That smells nice,” she told him. “You were gone a while?”

“Yeah, I picked...erm...something else up too,” he said and put the bag down. “I’ll get...a plate.”

Simmons smiled and put their teas down on the table and sat down.

“So...erm...I was going to ask. Those carvings? Did you find anymore out?”

“I was...er...just about to bring that up,” Fitz lied. “Deathlock. From the deathlock program - Mike Peterson never...er...had it because of...what...er...the bullet we fired...”

“We stabilised the extremis?” 

“Yes! That’s right,” he said and started to eat his bagel. 

“Oh, that simple! I should’ve looked at those files,” Simmons smiled. “Thank you, for finding that out. This report will be so much easier now.”

“That’s okay and now you don’t have to go to HYDRA later today,” Fitz said.

“I...didn’t say that I was going to HYDRA?” Simmons looked up at him. Fitz hesitated for a moment.

“Erm...you...said it in your sleep,” he said abruptly. “Yeah, you talk in your sleep.”

“Oh...what else did I say?”

“Nothing else,” Fitz smiled and then placed a hand to her cheek - nervously thinking about what to do next. “Erm...Simmons, I...have a proposition for you.”

“A proposition?” she smiled and looked at him curiously.

“I’m...worried I might...bore you,” Fitz said to her. 

“Oh Fitz...”  
“No...no, I want to...er...keep things alive and try new things,” Fitz said, his hand shaking as he reached into the bag. He slowly pulled out the handcuffs and Simmons’ eyes widened.

“Leopold Fitz!” she almost squeaked. 

“What? Not a good idea?” 

“No...I...it’s just not what I expected,” she laughed. “But...erm...I’d be willing to give it a go?” Fitz smiled and stood up. “Leo? What about our tea?”

“It can wait,” she said and pulled her up and led her over to the centre of the room and then hurried back and brought a chair over. “I...don’t really know what to do with this?” she said with an awkward smile. 

“Just...sit down and I’ll put them on,” Fitz told her, his hands shaking a little.

“Don’t you want me to take my clothes off first?” Simmons said and started to lift up her top.

“Erm...no...I...I don’t think so.”

“Well how are you going to get them off when I’m tied up? Silly,” she laughed. Fitz stared at her for a moment - he hadn’t considered that.

“I...er...erm...” he went slightly red. “Maybe you could put something...else on? Something sexy so it...doesn’t ruin the...er...the...”

“Surprise?” Simmons ended and Fitz nodded and smiled. “Okay, I do have something. I bought this earlier this week.” She walked over to her bedroom and Fitz breathed out heavily.

“Dammit,” he muttered and then checked the time - quarter past 9 already. He didn’t have long.

Simmons walked out of her bedroom in a short red slip and Fitz fought with feelings of excitement but also embarrassment as he knew what was going to happen.

“This won’t take too long will it? I have to get on with this report?” Simmons asked and sat down. “I mean, I want it to last for a while but...erm...you know what I mean.”

“I promise, you’ll be free very soon,” Fitz told her and kissed her passionately, pushing her back on the chair and placed her hands behind the chair and reluctantly put the handcuffs on. Simmons giggled and looked up at him.

“This feels so naughty, I didn’t know you wanted to do this kind of thing?” 

“Yeah...erm...of course,” Fitz said and scratched his ear, actually turning on his ear-piece. “Now, I’ll put this blindfold on you...”

 

Below, Coulson recieved the message.  
“Okay, that’s our cue,” he said and nodded as the team ran towards the apartment block. 

“This is a nice place,” Hunter commented. “If you work for HYDRA you get the very best.”

“And you can also get brainwashed,” Tripp reminded him. “Still sound fancy to you?”

“Good point,” Hunter replied as Coulson unlocked the door and they all went in.

“So, when we get in do we have a code word or something to make sure they’re decent because my eyes would not recover if I saw Fitzsimmons having sex,” Skye said.

“Fitz?” Coulson said on comms. “We’re coming up, open the door for us.”

 

“I’ll just be one second, I’m going to find some music to put on,” Fitz said and broke off from a kiss with Simmons.

“Music? Is music appropriate?” she asked and Fitz slowly opened the door. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” Fitz said and looked out, seeing the lift open. “Yeah you’re right, we don’t need music.”

“Hey Fitz,” Skye whispered and he moved out of the way as the team entered. “Oh my God...wow, Jemma Simmons. She looks hot.”

“Damn, girl,” Tripp commented.

“You are a lucky man, Fitz,” Hunter added. 

“She wanted to wear it,” Fitz explained and looked at Coulson who nodded.

“Who are you talking to?” Simmons asked him.

“Myself,” he lied and Tripp gave him the device. “So...just relax and I just need to put one more thing on you.”

“What is it?”

“Something that’s going to bring you back to us,” he said and placed the device on her head and turned on his second ear-piece. “Turn it on Mack!” 

“Got it Turbo!” Mack replied.

“Mack? What...FITZ! FITZ WHAT IS THIS?!” the machine started to light up. 

“Agent Simmons?” Coulson said. “You have been brainwashed by HYDRA. This machine is going to counter that.” 

“Coulson? What...no...no I haven’t! Fitz! What is this?!”

“I’m sorry, Jemma, but we need to do this,” he said and she shouted out, struggling in the chair. 

“MAKE IT STOP!” 

“We can’t and we won’t,” Coulson said. “Just remain calm.”

“No...no! I...was this the plan all along? Is that what this is all about, Fitz?” she said and Fitz sighed. “You’ve got me here wearing this and everyone can see! How could you!?” 

“It’s for your own good,” he told her.

“Please...please, let me out of here. I love you, I...”

“No, no you don’t. That isn’t you saying that! It’s what you think I want to hear, but I don’t!” Fitz said and Coulson looked at May. 

“We don’t all need to be here, you three go back to the car,” May said and told Tripp, Hunter and Skye who were quite happy to be out of the situation.

“Please...please, Fitz, it hurts!” Simmons had tears falling down her cheeks.

“She’s going to do that, Fitz,” Coulson explained. “She’ll say anything to get you to take that off, you need to ignore it because she doesn’t know what she’s saying.”

“Please!” she begged. “I’ll do anything you want! I’ll tell you where the HYDRA base is and who’s in charge! Just take it off!”

“It’s two minutes in, she still needs to wear it for eight,” Mack said.

“Can’t you speed it up?” Fitz pleaded.

“Sorry, Turbo. Even eight minutes is as fast as we can make it.” 

Fitz looked back at Simmons who was desperately trying to break free and felt Coulson put a hand on his shoulder.

“We’ll get her back,” he said and Fitz sighed and started to pace around the room.

 

“This is like some fifty shades kinda thing,” Tripp said to Skye as they exited the building.

“I hope that they’ll recover after this, to go from friends to kinky-sex and then having to go back from that is going to be tough,” she said.

“First he’ll have to explain about how he did all that stuff whilst she was brainwashed,” Hunter reminded them as they walked back to the car.

 

“Six minutes!” Mack said. “She’s not far.”

“Fitz?” Simmons said in a quiet tone. “What...what’s happened? Where am I?”

“Jemma?”

“HYDRA...I...can’t remember what...” she said and tried to look up for him. “Why is it dark? Fitz, please?”

“She’s back,” Fitz said and walked over. “Jemma...is that really you?”

“Of course it is! Who else would it be?” she said and he lowered her blind-fold and she looked up into his eyes. “Oh Fitz, I’m so sorry I let this happen.”

“Don’t be,” he smiled and knelt down in front of her. 

“Can you get me out? I...I’m so sorry,” she said and Fitz looked at Coulson and then went round the back and undid the cuffs, taking the machine off and holding it in his hands. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, crying into him.

“It’s okay...it’s alright,” Fitz said. 

“Mack, she’s back, you can turn off the machine.”

“Back? But there’s still 1 and a half minutes left and the scans of her brain show she’s...DON’T LET HER OUT! She’s still under HYDRA’s influence! She’s playing him!”

“FITZ!” Coulson yelled out and Simmons pushed him away and ran towards the door.

“JEMMA! NO!” Fitz said and grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back.

“LET ME GO!” she struggled.

“NO! I WILL NOT LOSE YOU, JEMMA!” Fitz said and wrestled her to the ground and put the still working device back on her head. “I almost lost you with the virus and down in the ocean and when you left. I am not going to lose you this time.” 

“SEVEN MINUTES! She’s almost there!” 

“I know who you are and I won’t let you lose your mind like I’ve lost mine,” Fitz kept her down on the floor as the rest of the team just watched. “You’re Agent Jemma Simmons and you are the best person I know. You work for SHIELD, not HYDRA.”

“THIRTY SECONDS!” Mack said again.

“Just let it work, because I made this, I struggled through all my brain trauma because I had to bring you back. That’s what it’s all be about. You may think that you leaving me helped, but it just made me work harder to find you. And now, I’m not even stuttering, my mind is the clearest it’s ever been. Because you’re the thing that makes it better, not worse and I know that I can make you better too.”

“TEN SECONDS!”

“Well, it’s a shame you didn’t get to enjoy it!” Simmons kneed him in the groin and Fitz fell back. She pulled out a gun from her handbag and shot it right at Fitz.

“JEMMA! NO!” he tried to yell out but it was too late...

“FIVE, FOUR, THREE...”

“NO!” Coulson yelled and May grabbed her ICER and shot it straight at Simmons.

“SHE’S BACK!” Mack said, just as the bullet hit her.

“Fitz?” she blinked back and saw his body lying motionless on the ground as she fell back herself on the floor and everything turned to black...


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter! Thank you so much for everyone who has read this, sorry it didn't go on longer but everything has been resolved in this chapter! It's been fun writing and thanks to Philyg123 and the other anon who gave me prompts. :) Hope you like it!

“Fitz?” Simmons voice rang out as Fitz opened his eyes in the hospital wing of SHIELD’s base. It felt like deja-vu for her. “You’re awake!”

“Jemma? Is that...you or...?” Fitz asked. 

“It’s me, it is me,” she nodded. Fitz’s face lit up and reached out to hold her hand. 

“You...you’ve been crying?” he noticed her red eyes and wet cheeks.

“Of course I have! I thought I’d lost you!” she reached forward and hugged him but then flinched back. “Don’t you EVER do that again! You dare sacrifice yourself for me after the last time! Haven’t you learnt?”

“Jemma...”

“No! Don’t...just...” she started to cry. “I shot you...I shot you in the stomach and you could’ve been killed! Fitz, you spent all that time with me and you could’ve been killed!”

“Because I...I care...”

“And so do I! I care about you but I can’t let you do that! I can’t keep...letting you do that.”

“It was...the only way to...save you. And we...we’re...even now.”

“Even? What on earth for?”

Fitz looked away and sighed. 

“For when I...I took ad...advantage of you,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry...” Simmons looked at him, open mouthed.

“You didn’t take advantage of me...I wanted everything I did...”

“No you didn’t, you weren’t in your right mind!” Fitz looked back. “Everything you said to me, I know...I know that it was all made up. And that’s okay because, that wasn’t you...”

“I did! And even if I hadn’t wanted the sex, that doesn’t give you the right to put yourself in harm’s way for me! You can’t keep doing that because your life is worth just as much as mine! Even more! I can’t bear to lose you...I love you.”

“No...Simmons, don’t say that.”

“What?” 

“Don’t say you love me because...because I know you don’t! Just because you said it then, don’t feel guilty that...it doesn’t matter now...”

“But I do!” Simmons reached out her hands to hold his but he held his away. “Please...why won’t you believe me?”

“Because I know you! I know that you’d say something like this because you...you pity me,” he insisted. “But I don’t need that. All I care about is...is that you’re home and you’re safe.”

Simmons got up and dried her eyes.

“I swear, on my life, on your life that I love you Fitz. I can tell you exactly what it is that I controlled and what I didn’t. Yes, I admit, I did seduce you and say I loved you much quicker than I planned, but all the sex we had and times I said I loved you, I always wanted it and meant it. And yes, maybe I thought that calling you by your first name would endear you to me further, even though I know you don’t like it because it’s your dad’s name and when I wanted to get out of the handcuffs, that was a lie too. But my feelings for you are real...everything that happened, was real.” She leant her head to one side. “I am so sorry for hurting you, and I am so sorry for leaving you, but I am not saying these things because I...I feel I have to. I’m saying them because that’s how I feel!” 

“Simmons!” Fitz raised his voice to her. “Stop patronizing me!” 

“I’m not!” 

“I can’t...I can’t deal with your guilt. Maybe...maybe you should just go.”

“What?”

“It hurt seeing you leave me without knowing why you went to HYDRA, Simmons and it hurt so much when I realised you...you were brainwashed and that it had all been a lie but I...I understood. I got it. I had an explanation. What I can’t deal with is...is you making stuff up because you’re feeling bad for me!”

“I’m not making stuff up and if...if you think you’re so unlovable then...there’s your answer. Why I went to HYDRA. Because I couldn’t deal with how you thought you were worth so little against me. Without me there, you could learn to grow and get your self-value back without having to compare all the time. That’s why I put my feelings for you aside and left you. For you. Everything I’ve ever done, is for you,” tears ran down her cheeks. “Excuse me.”

She turned around and walked out of the room and Fitz sighed, leaning back in his bed. He felt fine, he didn’t need to be in here. 

“You should’ve given her a chance, Fitz,” Simmons voice came and he saw his longer haired imaginary version of her. “She seemed genuine.” 

“She couldn’t be,” Fitz sighed. “I know she’s never felt that way.”

“Could she have changed her mind? You two went through so much, especially after these last few weeks, you still shared a lot, and it’s difficult to come back from that. Fake or real.”

There was a knock at the door and Fitz looked up and saw Coulson at the door.

“Well done Fitz, you did it,” he smiled. “She’s home.”

“Yeah...” Fitz sighed. 

“And I’m sorry, I’ve explained everything to her about what I made you do,” he told him and sat down in the chair Simmons was just in. “I’ll do everything I can to get you two back to normal. If you need some time off, go away together for a bit?”

“No offense, sir, but I really think we both need to be home but...I think maybe we should have some time apart rather than together. Maybe she should work in a...different part of SHIELD to me.”

“Why’s that, Fitz?”

“Because she...she’s still lying to protect me. She says she loves me, that she cares but that’s not...she’s taking pity on me and that’s what pulled us apart last time. We can’t...can’t change that.”

“But...we got the scientists to back-track her brainwashing and it started on the 25th.”

“What?”

“It was that Monday and you went to see her on the 16th the first time...” Coulson said and Fitz looked ahead, with a speechless expression. “She cried so much when she thought she’d hurt you and she always asked after you when I went to see her. Fitz...as Director of SHIELD, and a friend, I am telling you that Simmons has feelings for you.” Fitz started to get out of the bed. “Where are you going? You should be resting?”

“Sorry, sir - I need to go after her,” Fitz eased himself up and made himself walk towards the door. Coulson smiled and got up. 

“Here, let me help,” he said and propped Fitz’s arm up on his shoulders and the two walked along towards the lab. “I’ll make this right, I promise you.” 

“Thank you, but I think I need to...to do that for myself,” Fitz smiled.

When they reached the corridor where the lab was, Fitz saw Simmons sat in the corner, alone.

“I’ll be okay from here,” Fitz told Coulson who nodded and left Fitz who stared into their new lab and walked slowly over to Simmons. “It’s...not as intimate here, is it?”

She turned around and gasped.

“Fitz! What are you doing out of bed? You should...”

“I spoke to Coulson,” Fitz said, forming full sentences and looked into her eyes as she did. “He told me when the brainwashing began.” Simmons looked down but then back up and nodded. “You do...feel something for me, don’t you?” 

“That’s what I was trying to tell you,” Simmons replied.

“But why? I know a girl like you would never like a man like me?”

“Oh, what...a girl can’t fall in love with her soul-mate and best friend?” Simmons sniffed and dried her tears. “You mean everything to me. There’s a reason why we’re called Fitzsimmons, not Fitz and Simmons. It’s because you complete me.” 

“Oh Jemma...” Fitz walked closer to her and sat down on the lab-stool next to her, holding his side. “I want to make this...try again but like we said before, that first night. No miscommunication, no secrets, just...just us.”

Simmons nodded and sat down.

“I want that too,” she said and Fitz smiled. 

“Then I...propose we start again and...see where it goes. Take things slowly. We...er...don’t even need to do anything physical.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, slowly works best,” Fitz nodded and Simmons smiled back. “Hugs are okay though.”

“Oh good,” she said and flung her arms around him and he smiled, holding her tightly. “I’m sorry, Fitz.”

“I’m sorry too,” he replied and shut his eyes - at least this time, it was real.

 

1 month later.

Fitzsimmons started working together in the lab again and it was as if things hadn’t really changed. Fitz still struggled with words but Simmons was able to help him, rather than hinder him - the two finally working as equals. Skye, however, still saw one problem and she called Simmons up on it one dinner time.

“You haven’t kissed?”

“Well, we’ve kissed, but not since...you know,” Simmons replied.

“Are you kidding me? You two, attached at the hip most of the time, working in the lab every day and now officially a couple - you haven’t even thought about it?” Skye finished her food.

“Of course I’ve thought about it. I just don’t think he’s ready yet.”

“But you’ve already done it, and kissed? I don’t get it.”

“It was different then, Skye. I guess...it’ll take us back to something that could bring up memories of where I was.”

“So you’re just going to ignore it instead? Act like a brand new couple? That’s so unnatural and you know it,” Skye told her and Simmons sighed. “That’s not a relationship. That’s a friendship. A best friendship and that’s where you came from.”

“Yeah...yeah you’re right...we’re more than that.”

“Ex-act-ly,” Skye said slowly. “Now get your ass into the lab and kiss him! I am not going to take no for an answer, Jemma Simmons.” Skye practically pulled her up and pushed her towards the door of the kitchen where Simmons sighed but with a big smile on her face as she made her way to see her boyfriend.

She saw him in there, and admittedly, all the feelings she’d been keeping inside about wanting to just have Fitz holding her and making love to him all over again like those times before were rising up and out of her, making her tingle. 

She checked her hair was okay before walking into the lab and exhaled deeply.

“Fitz?” she called and he looked up and smiled at her.

“Hi, what’s up?” he asked and she walked up to him, sure of herself.

“I think we should start kissing,” she said and breathed out. He looked at her.

“Kissing?”

“Yes, I think we should start kissing and being physical again because that’s part of what we’ve become. We agreed before that things like dates weren’t natural and that pretending we’re something we’re not wasn’t going to work. We have to accept that we’ve already kissed and made love plenty of times and it was bloody good!” she laughed slightly when she saw his smile. “We can get back to that. It doesn’t have to be tainted unless we make it. We can’t move forward if we keep blaming each other or looking back into the past, which is why I think we should start kissing.”

Fitz laughed slightly and folded his arms.

“And by kissing do you mean the awkward...open eyed kissing that we tried at first or the organised second kiss we tried which was much better?” he asked and Simmons smiled and moved closer into his arms. 

“How about we just do it naturally this time?” she suggested and stepped up on tip-toes to reach him and kissed him and he kissed her back - it felt completely right.

“Oh...and, Simmons?” he broke off.

“Yes?”

Fitz smiled and rubbed noses with her.

“Please don’t call me Leo.” 

THE END


End file.
